Spring fabricating machine and method

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for and method of forming nonplanar bent wire springs without twisting of the wire. The apparatus includes a means for delivering straight lengths of wire sequentially to a first bending station and to advance the lengths of wire sequentially in parallel relationship through a series of additional bending stations for bending opposite end portions of each length of wire without twisting the wire. Each bending station has a pair of bending heads for simultaneously bending opposite end portions of the straight length of wire while the latter is at the station and wire positioning means for positioning the straight portion of the wire prior to performing the bending operation at that station. Suitable clamping and holding means are provided for transferring and supporting the series of lengths of wire. The method of forming the nonplanar bent wire springs includes the steps of positioning at the first station a first straight length of wire with its axis in a horizontal plane, bending the opposite end portions of the wire to new locations in said horizontal plane, translating the wire to a second station and rotating the straight portion of the wire about its axis so that the bent portions are displaced to selected positions out of said plane, bending in said plane the next end portions of said straight portion, and repeating these operations through a series of bending stations until the wire is formed to the desired spring configuration without twisting of the wire. The sequential steps of the method may be performed simultaneously to a plurality of lengths of wire transferred in series through the several bending stations.

Hancock Nov. 4, 1975 SPRING FABRICATING MACHINE AND METHOD [75]Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Hoover Ball and Bearing Company,

Saline, Mich.

[22] Filed: Oct. 7, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 512,690

William L. Hancock, Lexington, Ky.

Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson Attorney, Agent, or FirmOlsen andStephenson ABSTRACT Apparatus for and method of forming nonplanar bentwire springs without twisting of the wire. The apparatus includes ameans for delivering straight lengths of wire sequentially to a firstbending station and to advance the lengths of wire sequentially inparallel relationship through a series of additional bending stationsfor bending opposite end portions of each length of wire withouttwisting the wire. Each bending station has a pair of bending heads forsimultaneously bending opposite end portions of the straight length ofwire while the latter is at the station and wire positioning means forpositioning the straight portion of the wire prior to performing thebending operation at that station. Suitable clamping and holding meansare provided for transferring and supporting the series of lengths ofwire.

The method of forming the nonplanar bent wire springs includes the stepsof positioning at the first station a first straight .length of wirewith its axis in a horizontal plane, bending the opposite end portionsof the wire to new locations in said horizontal plane, translating thewire to a second station and rotating the straight portion of the wireabout its axis so that the bent portions are displaced to selectedpositions out of said plane, bending in said plane the next end portionsof said straight portion, and repeating these operations through aseries of bending stations until the wire is formed to the desiredspring configuration without twisting of the wire. The sequential stepsof the method may be performed simultaneously to a plurality of lengthsof wire transferred in series through the several bending stations.

11 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures US. Patam Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 1 of63,916,665

sheei 3 of 6 3,91,665

. a ent Nov. 4, 1975 US. Patsnt Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 4 of6 3,916,665

US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 6 of6 3,916,665

SPRING FABRICATING MACHINE AND METHOD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to apparatus for and method of formingnonplanar bent wire springs without twisting the wire,

It is known in the art to form wire springs in a machine employing apair of spaced bending heads between which a straight length of wire canbe positioned after which a series of bending operations are performedon the end portions of the wire until a spring of desired configurationis produced without twisting the wire about its axis. A bending machineof this character is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,245,433, issued Apr.12, 1966 in the name of W. R. Taylor, Jr.

The machine and method of operation disclosed in this patent is limitedin its output capacity and performance, because one pair of bendingheads must be controlled and operated to form the entire length of wireand only one wire can be formed at a time. Thus, complicated controlsand adjustment means are required and the rate of output is limited. Inview of the high volume of uniformily formed wire springs that are nowrequired of wire forming industry, there is a need for improvedapparatus for and method of forming bent wire springs from that known inthe art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has overcome theinadequacies of the prior art and provides a wire bending machine thatis constructed and arranged so that bent wire springs can be formedrapidly with precision and so that they have desired physicalproperties.

According to the one form of the present invention, a wire formingapparatus is provided that comprises a main frame supporting a pluralityof similar bending stations, each station having a pair of bending headsmounted on said main frame facing each other. Each bending head includeswire bending means rotatable about an axis for bending a wire in asubstantially horizontal plane. A pair of wire gripping clamps aremounted on the main frame at positions between each pair of bendingheads for intermittently holding portions of a straight length of wireat locations so that the axis of the straight length of wire intersectsthe axes of rotation of the wire bending means. Wire positioning meansare mounted on the main frame at positions outward of the bending headsand are rotatable about a horizontal axis and movable for intermittentlyengaging a portion of a formed end of the wire and locating the formedend around the axis of the straight length of wire through a preselectedposition in preparation for actuating the wire bending means. A wiretranslating assembly is provided for clamping onto a straight midportion of the wire before released by said wire gripping clamps and fortransferring the wire after release by said wire gripping clamps fromthe first bending station through a succeeding bending station wheresimilar bending operations can be performed. The wire translatingassembly is constructed and arranged so that it can receive separatestraight lengths of wire in succession and successively transfer theseries of paralsteps of positioning at the first station a firststraight length of wire with its axis horizontally disposed in ahorizontal plane, bending simultaneously the opposite end portions ofthe wire to new locations in the horizontal plane, translating the bentwire to a second station and locating the straight length of wire aboutits axis so that the bent portions are displaced to selected positionsout of the plane, bending simultaneously in the plane the next endportions of the straight portion, and repeating the translating,locating and bending operations until the wire is formed to a desiredshape so that bending of the wire to the desired spring configurationhas been accomplished without twisting of the wire.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provideimproved apparatus for and method of forming bent wire springs rapidlyand with precision and so that they have desired physical propertieswherein twisting of the wire has been avoided.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan viewof a spring fabricating machine embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the springfrabricating machine;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the lines 3-3 of FIG.1 showing details of the wire clamping mechanisms of the transfer beamof the wire translating assembly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view taken in the directionof the arrows 44 of FIG. 2 showing details of construction of one of thebending heads;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the lines 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view showing in broken lines aportion of a straight length of wire in position for bending by the wirebending means of the bending head;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the lines 7 7 of FIG.5 showing details of the wire gripping clamp forming a part of thebending head illustrated in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section taken on the lines 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly in section, showingdetails of the wire feed mechanism for feeding wires singly insuccession to the transfer beam and also showing details of the transfermeans for imparting reciprocating horizontal movement to the transferbeam;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary bottom plan view taken on the lines III-10 ofFIG. 2 showing details of the elevating means for elevating and loweringthe clamping beam relative to the main frame;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged section taken on the lines ll-ll of FIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the lines 12-12 ofFIG. 10; and

FIGS. 13-18, inclusive, show schematically a series of steps of bendinga length of wire that can be performed by operation of the illustratedwire fabricating machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Before explaining the presentinvention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited in its application to the details of construction andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since theinvention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced orcarried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention will be described ingreater detail. The wire fabricating machine has at one end a feedassembly 12 for feeding in sequence straight lengths of wire to wiretranslating assembly 14 for transfer through a plurality of stations 16where bending operations can be performed to form nonplanar bent wiresprings from the straight lengths of wire.

The feeder assembly 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 9, whereit can be seen that it includes an inclined storage unit or hopper 18 inwhich a plurality of straight lengths of wire 20 can be stored. Thewires 20 are fed or removed from the storage unit 18 by a plurality ofblades or plungers 22 that are simultaneously actuated to move upwardlyby the hydraulic cylinders 24 to wipe the inidividual wires 20 into theguides 26 that direct the wires singly to the wire trans-- latingassembly 14, the operation of which will subsequently be described.

The wire fabricating machine includes the main frame 28 on which thefeeder assembly 12 is mounted and on which a pair of space parallelshafts 30 are supported on mounting plate 31 of main frame 28 by aplurality of pillow blocks 32. A plurality of support blocks 34 aremounted for travel on the shafts 30 and support the transfer plate 36which is a component of the wire translating assembly 14, which will nowbe described.

The wire translating assembly 14 includes the horizontal transfer means38, shown best in FIG. 9, for imparting reciprocal horizontal movementto the transfer plate 36 and comprises the torque motor 40, the maindrive shaft 42, and coupler 44 for connecting the shaft of the torquemotor to the main drive shaft 42, the actuator arm 46 and the connectorarm 48 which is connected to the actuator arm by means of the pin 50.The torque motor 40 is of a conventional type which is adapted to turnintermittently 180, whereby the connector arm 48 will provide a strokecorresponding to twice the dimension between the axis of the shaft 42and the axis of the pin 50. Thus, this will determine the extent ofreciprocal movement in both directions of the transfer plate 36.

Also mounted on the shafts 30 for movement thereon is the elevationmeans 52 which will subsequently be described and which includes amounting pad 54 7 adapted to be elevated and lowered between the guideblocks 56 integrally connected to the transfer plate 36.

A plurality of elevating means 52 are provided, one of which isillustrated in FIG. 2, and as there shown, a transfer beam 58 is securedthereto for movementtherewith. Thus, the transfer beam 58 willreciprocate The clamping beam 60 includes a mounting plate 62 and aplurality of cover plates 64 which define between them a plurality oftransverse slots 66 which are adapted to receive a portion of a straightlength of wire 20. Mounted beneath the mounting plate 62 are a pluralityof hydraulic cylinders 68, each of which has its rod end operativelyconnected to the push rod 72 by means of the stop member 74 and screws76. The push rod 72 can therefore travel longitudinally relative to themounting plate 62, and in so doing will transfer the pins 78 therewith,thereby actuating the clamping blocks 80 for clampingly engaging orreleasing a portion of a straight length of wire that has beenpositioned within the transfer slot 66. The stroke of the hydrauliccylinder 68 is limited by the stop pad mechanism 82 which has anadjustable stop 84 for adjustment purposes in setting the length of thestroke. As can be seen, the stop pad mechanism 82 is secured to themounting plate 62. A plurality of compression springs 86 are associatedwith each of the clamping blocks 80 for urging the clamping blocks to aclosed position. The compression springs 86 are mounted between themounting block 80 and the blocks 88 which are connected to the movablerod 72. Thus, the clamping beam 60 can be reciprocated in a horizontaldirection and also can be raised and lowered. In addition, the clampingbeam is operable to grasp, transfer and release a plurality of straightlengths of wires at the transfer slots 66.

Attention is directed next to FIGs. 2, 10, 11 and 12 for a more detaileddescription of the elevating means 52. The elevating means 52 includes acam mounting plate 90 which is connected to a plurality of supportblocks 92 that are mounted on the shafts 30. The cam mounting plate 90supports a pair of parallel cam plates 94, each of which has the camsurfaces 96 formed therein. A mounting bracket 98 is secured to thetransfer plate 36, and a hydraulic cylinder 100 is pivotally connectedat one end to the mounting bracket 98 and at the other end to themounting block 102 which is rigidly amxed to the cam plate 94. By virtueof this con struction and arrangement, expansion and contraction of thehydraulic cylinder 100 will result in movement of the cam plates 94 in adirection parallel with the shafts 30. Also rigidly affixed to thetransfer plate 36 are the mounting brackets 104 to which are pivotallyconnected the connecting rods 106 and 108. The pairs of connecting rods106 and 108 are secured to the mounting pad 54 by the screws 110, and inaddition, the connecting rods 108 have mounted at their ends camfollowers 1 12 which are adapted to travel on the cam surfaces 96 whenthe latter are moved longitudinally in response to actuation of thehydraulic cylinders 100. When the cam plate 94 is caused to movelongitudinally relative to the connecting rods 108, the latter will movevertically to the extent permitted by the cam surfaces 96. Thus, whenthe cam plate 94 is moved to the left as seen in FIG. 2, the camfollower 1 12 will descend a distance equal to the lowest point on thecam surface 96, thereby causing mounting pad 54 to descend an equalamount, and this in turn will lower the entire transfer beam 54 and theclamping beam 60 mounted thereon. Thus, the clamping beam 60 can beraised and lowered by actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 100. Thisvertical movement can occur independently of the horizontal movementimparted to the clamping beam 60 by actuation of the transfer assembly38 on the transfer plate 36.

Attention is next directed to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4-8, inclusive, for adescription of the bending stations 16. All of these stations areconstructed essentially the same except for the first and last stations.Each of the intermediate stations include a pair of bending heads 114mounted on the main frame 28 facing each other and wire gripping clamps136 and wire positioning means 160 associated with each bending head. Asshown best in FIGs. 5 and 6, the bending head 114 includes wire bendingmeans 116 which is rotatable about a vertical axis for bending a wire 20substantially in a horizontal plane. The bending head 1 14 includes arotary hydraulic unit 118 that is adapted to rotate the spindle 120 aselected number of radial degrees, such as 90, for example. Thehydraulic unit 118 is mounted on the mounting bracket 122 in thedovetail mounting block 124 for vertical movement in response tooperation of the hydraulic cylinder 126. The dovetail mounting block 124is also secured to the shaft 128, which in turn can be adjustably movedby means of the adjustment screw shaft 130. As can be seen in FIG. 5,the shaft 128 is keyed to the frame members 132 for axial andnonrotative movement, and clamped to the shaft 128 is the clamp bracket134 which is adapted to travel axially with respect to the adjustmentscrew shaft 130 when the latter is turned. Thus, turning of theadjustment screw shaft 130 will advance or retract the shaft 128 andthereby will determine the location of the wire bending means 116.

A wire gripping clamp 136 is also mounted on the dovetail mounting block124. The clamp 136 includes the clamp mounting bar 138 which isconnected to the mounting block 124 and includes the frame portion 140.Mounted on the latter is the cylinder mount 142 which supports ahydraulic cylinder 144. The rod end 146 of the hydraulic cylinder 144 isconnected to a plunger 148 which includes the pins 150. Pivotallymounted on the frame by means of the pins 152 are the clamp jaw arms154. The clamp jaw arms 154 have angularly disposed slots 156 formedtherein which fit over the pins 150 so that vertical movement of theplunger 148 will cause pivotal movement of the clamp jaw arms 154 aboutthe pivot pins 152. Clamp jaw inserts 156 are located at the lower endsof the clamp jaw arms 154 so that when the plunger 148 is moveddownward, the clamp jaw arms will pivot together at their lower ends andthe clamp jaw inserts 156 can firmly grip one of the wires 20.Compression spring 158 is provided to aid in returning the plunger 148to an elevated position. As can be seen best in FIGS. 5 and 6, the clampjaw inserts 156 are located so that when they grippingly engage a wire20, they will hold the wire at a location so that the axis of thestraight length of wire 20 intersects the axis of rotation of the wirebending means 116.

The wire positioning means 160 includes a positioning bar 162 axiallymovable and rotatable about its axis. The positioning bar 162 is locatedso that its axis is substantially coincident with the axis of the wire20 when the latter is supported in the position shown in the FIG. 5. Thepositioning bar 162 has open jaws 164 at its inner end for receiving abent portion 166 of the wire 20 which has been bent 90 from the axis ofthe straight portion 120 at a preceding bending station. The jaws '1posed between two adjacent bending stations so that it functions to movetwo positioning bars simultaneously. The positioning bar 162 is keyed toa first pinion gear 170 for rotation therewith, and the latter is inmesh with the pinion gear 172 that is drivingly connected to theelectrical stepping motor 174. By virtue of this arrangement, thepositioning bar 162 can be rotated a desired number of angular degreesso as to turn the wire 20 about its axis to displace the bent endportion 166 out of the horizontal plane in which it is located as viewedin FIG. 5. When rotary action of this nature is to occur, the wiregripping clamp 136 will previously have been opened, and the straightportion of the length of wire 20 will then be supported within thetransverse slots 66 of the clamping beam 60 so as to allow rotationabout the wire axis.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, each bending station 16 has a pair of bendingheads facing each other together with the associated gripping clamps andwire positioning means. The first bending station need not include allof the same apparatus, because the wire positioning means will not berequired until the length of wire has had its first end portion 166 bentand transferred to the second bending station. At this station the wirewill then be turned out of the horizontal plane for a'subsequent bendingof the next end portion of the length of wire. Similarly, the laststation, may be used for heat treating purposes and other similaroperations that may be desired on the formed length of wire.

In the normal operation of the wire fabricating machine 10, straightlengths of wire 20 are fed in sequence from the feeder assembly 12 bythe multiple blades 22 through the guides 26 to the first transverseslot 66 in the clamping beam 60. The clamping beam 60 accepts the wirefrom the feeder assembly 12 and from the plurality of bending stations16 by moving upward with the clamping blocks held open by the hydrauliccylinders 68, and the wires are then clamped prior to indexing of theclamping beam 60. With the wires held in the clamping beam 60, thetransfer beam 58 is moved forward carrying all of the wires to the nextbending station. The forward indexing is accomplished by the hydraulictorque motor 40 which is timed to make a rotary movement of 180. Aspreviously indicated, the torque motor 40 is connected to the transferplate 36 through the crank 46 and lever 50 arrangement. The transferplate 36 also serves as the main support for the remaining transferoperating mechanism.

The wires presented to the working or bending stations are sequenced inthe following manner. Each wire positioning means is moved by thehydraulic cylinder 168 toward the center of the machine 10 to contactand confine the bent portion 166 from a previous bending operation, thejaws confining the end portion 166 during rotation that is to follow.When the open jaws of the positioning bar 162 are in contact positionwith the wire portion 166, the clamp blocks 80 of the clamping beam 60are released by the hydraulic cylinders 68 which allows the wires to befree, supported in length by the clamping beam 60 and held centrally bythe jaws 164 of the wire positioning means 160. In this position thestepping motors 174 are programmed to rotate to their preselectedpositions. As previously explained, these motors are connected to thepositioning bar 162 through the gears 170 and 172 to give the desiredradial indexing of the wire end portions 166. The wire gripping clamps136 are now initiated to clamp the wires 20 by the hydraulic cylinders144, bringing the jaws together to clamp the wire and retain axialposition of the wire during the return of the clamping beam 60 andtransfer beam 58 to their initial positions and during the bendingoperations subsequently performed. With the wires in the clampedposition, the transfer beam 58 is lowered by actuation of the hydrauliccylinders 100, and the transfer beam is returned in the direction of thefeeder assembly 12. The positioning jaws 164 are returned to be awayfrom the wire and allow room for the bending operation to be perfonned,and the hydraulic cylinder 126 is energized to lower the wire bendingmeans 116. The rotary hydraulic unit 118 is next energized to rotate thewire bending means 116 to preadjusted positions, and as soon as the wirehas been bent, the hydraulic units 126 and 118 are reversed to returnthe bending means 116 to their idle positions. With the clamping beam 60returned to its elevated position, the wire gripping clamps 136 arereleased, and the machine is ready to repeat the cycle of operation.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that a method offorming nonplanar bent wire springs is provided wherein a straightlength of wire is positioned at a first station with the wire axishorizontally disposed in a horizontal plane. The opposite ends of thelength of wire are bent simultaneously to new locations in thehorizontal plane. Normally this will be 90 from the axis of the straightlength of wire. The wire is then translated to a second station where itis rotated about its axis a desired number of angular degrees displacingthe bent portions from the horizontal plane, and the next end portionsof the wire are simultaneously bent in the plane, and these steps arerepeated until the wire spring is formed to the desired configuration.This operation can be carried out so that a series of wire springs arebeing formed simultaneously through the various bending stations. Thus,the length of wire 20 can be formed at its opposite outer ends through asequence of steps such as are shown in FIGS. 13-18, inclusive, whereineach time before the wire is bent, the preceding end portion has beenrotated out of the horizontal plane containing the straight portion ofwire 20. Thus, the ends of the wire 20 are continuously being formedwithout twisting of the wire.

It is claimed:

1. A method of forming nonplanar bent wire springs comprising the stepsof positioning at a first station a first straight length of wire withits axis horizontally disposed in a horizontal plane, bendingsimultaneously the opposite end portions of said wire to new locationsin said horizontal plane, translating the bent wire to a second station,gripping the bent end portions of said wire and rotating the gripped endportions to in turn rotate the straight portion of the wire about isaxis so that the bent portions are displaced to selected positions outof said plane, bending simultaneously in said plane the next endportions of said straight portion and repeating the operations atsucceeding stations until said wire is formed to a desired springconfiguration without twisting of the wire.

2. The method that is defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality ofnonplanar bent wire springs are formed in series by positioning insequence at said first station next succeeding straight lengths of wirewhen the preceeding straight lengths of wire are translated to saidsecond station and succeeding stations, and repeating the operations ateach station that were performed on the preceeding straight lengths ofwire.

3. Wire forming apparatus comprising a main frame supporting a pluralityof similar bending stations, each station having a pair of bending headsmounted on said main frame facing each other, each of said bending headsincluding wire bending means rotatable about a vertical axis for bendinga wire in a substantially horizontal plane, a pair of wire grippingclamps mounted on said main frame at positions between said pair ofbending heads for intermittently holding portions of a straight lengthof wire at locations so that the axis of the straight length of wireintersects the axes of rotation of said wire bending means, wirepositioning means mounted on said main frame at positions outward ofsaid bending heads, said wire positioning means being rotatable about ahorizontal axis and movable for intermittently engaging a portion of aformed end of said wire and rotating the formed end around said axis ofthe straight length of wire to a preselected position in preparation foractuation of said wire bending means, and a wire translating assemblyfor clamping onto a straight midportion of the wire before release bysaid wire gripping clamps and for transferring the wire after release bysaid wire gripping clamps from the first bending station to a succeedingbending station where similar bending operations can be performed.

4. Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 3, wherein said wiretranslating assembly comprises a transfer beam extending longitudinallyof said main frame between the pairs of bending heads of said bendingstations, a clamping beam mounted on said transfer beam for clamping thestraight lengths of wire at each station for transferring the same tothe next succeeding station, said transfer beam being mounted forreciprocable horizontal movement between adjacent bending stations andfor reciprocable vertical movement so that said clamping beam can beelevated from an original position to an elevated position forclampingly closing on the straight lengths of wire and can betransferred in the elevated position while supporting the wire to thenext succeeding station and so that said clamping beam after release ofsaid wire can then be lowered for return transfer to its originalposition, elevating means for elevating and lowering said clamping beamrelative to said transfer beam, and transfer means for impartingreciprocable horizontal movement to said transfer beam.

5. Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 4, wherein saidclamping beam includes beam clamps operable to be open for acceptingwire when the clamping beam is being elevated and to close to supportthe wire when the clamping beam is moved horizontally to the nextbending station.

6. Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 5, wherein said wiregripping clamps are operable to clamp said wires supported by said beamclamps at each of said next bending stations, after which said beamclamps are operable to release said wires and said elevating means isoperable to lower said clamping beam for subsequent return to saidoriginal position.

7. Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 3, wherein saidbending heads include adjustment means for movement of each pair ofheads toward and away from each other in a direction parallel to saidwire axis so that each wire bending means can engage and bend a selectedportion of each wire passing through the bending station.

8. Wire fomiing apparatus that is defined in claim 3, wherein each saidwire positioning means includes a positioning bar axially movable androtatable about its 9 axis, said positioning bar being substantially inaxial alignment with said wire axis and having open jaws at its innerend for receiving said formed end of the wire in said horizontal planewhen the positioning bar is moved inwardly, means for axially movingsaid positioning means axially inwardly and outwardly at selected timeintervals, and means for rotating said positioning bar a selected numberof angular degrees when said open jaws are in engagement with saidformed end.

9. Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 3, wherein each ofsaid bending heads includes means for elevating and lowering said wirebending means at selected time intervals.

10. Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 9, wherein each ofsaid means for elevating and lowering said wire bending means isoperatively connected with the associated vwre gripping means forsimultaneously elevating and lowering the latter.

11. Wire forming apparatus for forming nonplanar bent wire springscomprising a main frame supporting a plurality of similar bendingstations, each station having a pair of bending heads mounted on saidframe facing each other, each of said bending heads including wirebending means rotatable about a vertical axis for bending a wire in asubstantially horizontal plane and 10 adjustment means for individualmovement of associated heads toward and away from each other in adirection parallel to the wire axis so that each wire bending means canengage and bend a preselected end portion of each wire passing throughthe bending station, a pair of wire gripping clamps between each pair ofbending heads for intermittently holding portions of a straight lengthof wire at the associated station so that the axis of the wireintersects the axes of rotation of said wire bending means, wirepositioning means outward of said bending heads each operable forrotation about a horizontal axis coincident with said wire axis andaxially movable for intermittent movement inwardly to engage the formedends of the wire in said horizontal plane and to rotate the formed endsaround said wire axis to a selected position out of said plane inpreparation for rotation of the associated wire bending means forbending the next inward end portions of the straight portion of thewire, and a wire translating assembly for clamping onto the straightportions of the wire at the bending stations before release by the wiregripping clamps and for transferring the wires after release by the wiregripping clamps to the next succeeding bending stations where similarbending operations can be performed.

1. A method of forming nonplanar bent wire springs comprising the stepsof positioning at a first station a first straight length of wire withits axis horizontally disposed in a horizontal plane, bendingsimultaneously the opposite end portions of said wire to new locationsin said horizontal plane, translating the bent wire to a second station,gripping the bent end portions of said wire and rotating the gripped endportions to in turn rotate the straight portion of the wire about isaxis so that the bent portions are displaced to selected positions outof said plane, bending simultaneously in said plane the next endportions of said straight portion and repeating the operations atsucceeding stations until said wire is formed to a desired springconfiguration without twisting of the wire.
 2. The method that isdefined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of nonplanar bent wire springsare formed in series by positioning in sequence at said first stationnext succeeding straight lengths of wire when the preceeding straightlengths of wire are translated to said second station and succeedingstations, and repeating the operations at each station that wereperformed on the preceeding straight lengths of wire.
 3. Wire formingapparatus comprising a main frame supporting a plurality of similarbending stations, each station having a pair of bending heads mounted onsaid main frame facing each other, each of said bending heads includingwire bending means rotatable about a vertical axis for bending a wire ina substantially horizontal plane, a pair of wire gripping clamps mountedon said main frame at positions between said pair of bending heads forintermittently holding portions of a straight length of wire atlocations so that the axis of the straight length of wire intersects theaxes of rotation of said wire bending means, wire positioning meansmounted on said main frame at positions outward of said bending heads,said wire positioning means being rotatable about a horizontal axis andmovable for intermittently engaging a portion of a formed end of saidwire and rotating the formed end around said axis of the straight lengthof wire to a preselected position in preparation for actuation of saidwire bending means, and a wire translating assembly for clamping onto astraight midportion of the wire before release by said wire grippingclamps and for transferring the wire after release by said wire grippingclamps from the first bending station to a succeeding bending stationwhere similar bending operations can be performed.
 4. Wire formingapparatus that is defined in claim 3, wherein said wire translatingassembly comprises a transfer beam extending longitudinally of said mainframe between the pairs of bending heads of saId bending stations, aclamping beam mounted on said transfer beam for clamping the straightlengths of wire at each station for transferring the same to the nextsucceeding station, said transfer beam being mounted for reciprocablehorizontal movement between adjacent bending stations and forreciprocable vertical movement so that said clamping beam can beelevated from an original position to an elevated position forclampingly closing on the straight lengths of wire and can betransferred in the elevated position while supporting the wire to thenext succeeding station and so that said clamping beam after release ofsaid wire can then be lowered for return transfer to its originalposition, elevating means for elevating and lowering said clamping beamrelative to said transfer beam, and transfer means for impartingreciprocable horizontal movement to said transfer beam.
 5. Wire formingapparatus that is defined in claim 4, wherein said clamping beamincludes beam clamps operable to be open for accepting wire when theclamping beam is being elevated and to close to support the wire whenthe clamping beam is moved horizontally to the next bending station. 6.Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 5, wherein said wiregripping clamps are operable to clamp said wires supported by said beamclamps at each of said next bending stations, after which said beamclamps are operable to release said wires and said elevating means isoperable to lower said clamping beam for subsequent return to saidoriginal position.
 7. Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 3,wherein said bending heads include adjustment means for movement of eachpair of heads toward and away from each other in a direction parallel tosaid wire axis so that each wire bending means can engage and bend aselected portion of each wire passing through the bending station. 8.Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 3, wherein each saidwire positioning means includes a positioning bar axially movable androtatable about its axis, said positioning bar being substantially inaxial alignment with said wire axis and having open jaws at its innerend for receiving said formed end of the wire in said horizontal planewhen the positioning bar is moved inwardly, means for axially movingsaid positioning means axially inwardly and outwardly at selected timeintervals, and means for rotating said positioning bar a selected numberof angular degrees when said open jaws are in engagement with saidformed end.
 9. Wire forming apparatus that is defined in claim 3,wherein each of said bending heads includes means for elevating andlowering said wire bending means at selected time intervals.
 10. Wireforming apparatus that is defined in claim 9, wherein each of said meansfor elevating and lowering said wire bending means is operativelyconnected with the associated wire gripping means for simultaneouslyelevating and lowering the latter.
 11. Wire forming apparatus forforming nonplanar bent wire springs comprising a main frame supporting aplurality of similar bending stations, each station having a pair ofbending heads mounted on said frame facing each other, each of saidbending heads including wire bending means rotatable about a verticalaxis for bending a wire in a substantially horizontal plane andadjustment means for individual movement of associated heads toward andaway from each other in a direction parallel to the wire axis so thateach wire bending means can engage and bend a preselected end portion ofeach wire passing through the bending station, a pair of wire grippingclamps between each pair of bending heads for intermittently holdingportions of a straight length of wire at the associated station so thatthe axis of the wire intersects the axes of rotation of said wirebending means, wire positioning means outward of said bending heads eachoperable for rotation about a horizontal axis coincident with said wireaxis and axially movable for intermittent movement inwardly to Engagethe formed ends of the wire in said horizontal plane and to rotate theformed ends around said wire axis to a selected position out of saidplane in preparation for rotation of the associated wire bending meansfor bending the next inward end portions of the straight portion of thewire, and a wire translating assembly for clamping onto the straightportions of the wire at the bending stations before release by the wiregripping clamps and for transferring the wires after release by the wiregripping clamps to the next succeeding bending stations where similarbending operations can be performed.